Last Updated on July 1, 2026 by Christian Adams
Rock has never been shy about reinventing itself, and the letter “O” captures some of the strangest and most spirited offshoots on the list of rock genres. It’s a category of “outliers.” From the occult theatrics of late-’60s bands like Coven and Black Widow to the gutter-punk sneer of the Cockney Rejects and Britain’s Oi! movement, these genres reflect how rebellion and reinvention can take wildly different forms.
Occult rock
| Origins: | Late 1960s to early 1970s, U.K. and U.S. hard rock |
| Peak popularity: | 1969–1973 |
| Defining artists: | Black Widow, Coven, Blue Öyster Cult, Ghost, Blood Ceremony |
| Must-hear album(s): | Coven, Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls (1969) |
Frequently misattributed as doom rock and sometimes referred to as witch rock, occult rock was a short-lived genre that arrived in the late 1960s underground rock scene, merging Satanic imagery and ritual themes with minor-chord riffs and eerie atmospheres. Bands like Coven and Black Widow flirted with influences from classic horror movies and books by Dennis Wheatley.
Despite the diabolical sheen of amateur fetish, occult rock is rather light and bouncy compared to other derivatives of hard rock and proto-metal. It’s less about brute heaviness and more about spooky, mystical auras. Or something like that.
A Proto-Metal Anomaly
Before there was such a thing as Black Sabbath, an outfit from Chicago called Coven released Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls (1969), an album of lightweight blues and jazz rock with overly occult and Satanic themes. Unfortunately for Coven (and their fans), the album was released around the time of the Manson Family murders and quickly pulled from distribution. It’s a laughably bad album, too.
Nevertheless, WDM&RS marked the first appearance in music of “the sign of the horns,” inverted crosses, and the phrase “Hail Satan,” triggering debate about Coven’s influence on Black Sabbath, whose debut album wouldn’t be released until 1970. Let’s check some key points:
- Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls was released in June 1969
- The Manson Family murders occurred between July and August 1969
- The opening track of Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls is called “Black Sabbath”
- Coven’s bass guitarist (Michael Gregory Osborne) is credited as “Oz Osborne” in the liner notes
- According to official Black Sabbath lore, the band changed its name from Earth to Black Sabbath in August 1969
- Black Sabbath (the band) is said to be named after Black Sabbath, a 1963 Italian horror film anthology featuring introductions by Boris Karloff
- That film’s title, in turn, derived from the name for a satanic ritual described in Dennis Wheatley novels
- When Black Sabbath first released their eponymous debut album in 1970, Rolling Stone’s Lester Bangs described it as “England’s answer to Coven“
- Given the timeline, Black Sabbath may have never heard of Coven before changing their name, but the opposite is also true
Residual Influence
Moving along, heavy metal developed in the vacuum of space, and occult rock more or less disappeared until Blue Öyster Cult released their debut album, Blue Öyster Cult, in 1972, which had a significant influence on later post-punk and indie rock bands like the Minutemen and the Melvins. The style faded for decades but found a powerful revival in the 2000s with bands like Ghost, Luciferian Light Orchestra, The Devil’s Blood, Witch Mountain, Orchid, and Blood Ceremony, who blended Sabbath-inspired doom with theatrical occult imagery. Ghost in particular became arena-level stars, pairing pop melodies with devilish aesthetics.
Meanwhile, in the mid-2000s, Italian occult psychedelia emerged with a heavy, droning metal sound and was completely unrelated to what we’re talking about here.
Oi!
| Origins: | Late 1970s British punk and pub rock |
| Peak popularity: | 1984–1989 |
| Defining artists: | Cockney Rejects, Sham 69, The Business, Angelic Upstarts, Blitz |
| Must-hear album(s): | Cockney Rejects, Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (1980) |
Oi! was punk stripped to its working-class core: chants, streetwise lyrics, anti-intellectual football hooligan energy. It emerged in late-’70s Britain, reflecting the frustrations of unemployed youth and the agit community spirit of skinhead culture (before extremist elements twisted that image). The movement was a direct reaction against the “art-school” sensibilities of the initial punk rock scene, aiming to reconnect the music with its street-level, blue-collar roots.
The name itself is an old Cockney expression meaning “hey” or “hello”, popularized by the band Cockney Rejects.
Oi! music sought to unite punks, skinheads, and other disaffected working-class youth around shared experiences and frustrations. The musical style is intentionally simple and direct, blending the driving sound of first-wave punk bands like the Sex Pistols and The Clash with influences from 1960s British rock, pub rock, and football chants.
Songs often feature a straightforward verse-chorus-verse format, with prominent, sing-along choruses that foster audience participation and a sense of community. The lyrics are blunt and tackle everyday working-class life, including unemployment, social injustice, street life, and solidarity among peers. The music typically forgoes complex solos or avant-garde ideas in favor of powerful, distorted guitar riffs and a strong, driving beat.
While the movement faced controversy due to its association with the skinhead subculture, many core Oi! bands were apolitical or actively anti-racist, using their music as a call for working-class unity.
Orchestral pop
| Origins: | Mid-1960s symphonic pop and rock |
| Peak popularity: | 1967–1970 |
| Defining artists: | The Beatles, Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancini, Boston Pops Orchestra |
| Exemplary track(s): | Arthur Fielder & His Boston Pops Orchestra, “Bond Street” (1967) |
This sub-subgenre is simply pop music performed and arranged by a symphonic orchestra. Synonymous with chamber pop, closely related to baroque pop, and often called symphonic pop.
During the first half of the century, most popular music involved an orchestra. All the hits of the early 1950s were from vocalists like Frank Sinatra with his backing band, often called a “big band orchestra.” Rock n’ roll revolutionized popular music, so orchestral pop faded into the shadows until the mid-1960s, when artists and producers began incorporating symphonic elements in their music.
For example, George Martin provided string arrangements for Paul McCartney’s “Eleanor Rigby” and “Yesterday”. Some groups, like the Boston Pops Orchestra, were built for playing predominantly popular music. Ultimately, Burt Bacharach and the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson are hailed as the godfathers of orchestral pop as we know it. However, singer Scott Walker deserves credit for merging Mancini and Bacharach with avant-garde conviction.
Few artists have revived orchestral pop in the 21st century, most with limited success—see: Rufus Wainwright. Others have flirted with the genre while indulging in tangential experimentation.
Orchestral rock
| Origins: | Late 1960s British progressive and art rock |
| Peak popularity: | 1967–1977 |
| Defining artists: | The Moody Blues, Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Genesis, Yes, Queen |
| Must-hear album(s): | The Moody Blues, Days of Future Passed (1967) |
Rock Genres Explained gets that much easier when the genre is clearly articulated in the name, unlike genres such as alternative rock, Kawaii metal, or even occult rock, which do nothing to explain what they’re all about. Orchestral rock, often used interchangeably with symphonic rock, is a subgenre of rock music that integrates the instrumentation, compositional structures, and grand artistic ambitions of classical music into the traditional rock format.
A Sense of Uncommon Grandeur
Emerging in the late 1960s and peaking in the 1970s, it moves beyond simply using orchestral elements as “ornamentation,” making them a core structural component of the music.
The genre is characterized by a rich tapestry of sound that blends the raw energy of electric guitars, bass, and drums with the lush textures of string, brass, and woodwind sections. This fusion results in an “epic” and cinematic sound, often evoking strong emotions and a sense of grandeur not typically found in standard rock music.
Inspiration from Symphonic Music
The core rock band is augmented by a full orchestra, parts of an orchestra (see: cello rock), or, in most cases (Yes, Genesis, et al.), synthesizers are used to emulate orchestral instruments (specifically, the Mellotron). Songs feature meticulous layering and intricate arrangements. Orchestral parts often mirror or complement the rock melodies, creating a rich, polyphonic texture. Drawing inspiration from classical forms like symphonies and concertos, tracks often employ complex structures, shifting movements, and extended lengths, far beyond the typical verse-chorus-verse rock format. Concept albums are also common.
The music typically features a wide dynamic range, moving from very soft, delicate passages to loud, powerful crescendos. The genre represents an attempt to elevate rock music to a high art form, often employing poetic lyrics and sophisticated musical techniques.
While some bands merely perform rock songs with an orchestral backing, true orchestral rock integrates these elements from the ground up, creating a seamless fusion where neither the rock band nor the orchestra is simply an “add-on.”
Days of Future Passed (1967) by The Moody Blues is a seminal work in the genre, featuring the band collaborating with the London Festival Orchestra to create a concept album that tells the story of a single day. Its seamless integration of rock and orchestral suites set a benchmark for symphonic rock.
Original Pilipino Music (OPM)
| Origins: | 1970s Philippines pop, rock, soul, and disco |
| Peak popularity: | 1973–present |
| Defining artists: | Hotdog, APO Hiking Society, VST & Company, Eraserheads, BINI, SunKissed Lola |
| Hot track: | “Pasilyo” by SunKissed Lola |
Not a genre of music, but an umbrella term for any kind of popular music made by Filipinos, for Filipinos, sung in Filipino (or a mix of Tagalog and English called “Taglish”), and recorded in the Philippines.
Originally, “Original Pilipino Music” (OPM) described a specific strain of Filipino pop—mostly ballads, novelty tunes, and the breezy style that came to be known as the Manila Sound.
The Manila Sound
The Manila Sound itself took shape in the early 1970s, led by the band Hotdog. Their approach fused Western pop-rock sensibilities with Tagalog lyrics, playful Filipino wit, and homegrown rhythms. The label soon expanded to encompass young groups such as the Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society and Cinderella, along with singers like Rico J. Puno and Hadji Alejandro, who moved fluidly between Tagalog, Taglish, and English.
Hotdog’s playful anthems—especially “Manila”—captured the essence of the movement: light, urban, melodic, and instantly memorable. Acts like VST & Company infused disco into the mix, while APO Hiking Society added a more songwriter-driven dimension. Though sometimes written off as easy listening, the Manila Sound helped cement a distinctly Filipino musical identity at a time when Western rock dominated the airwaves, and its influence remains central to OPM’s character today.
Boosted Visibility on the International Stage
After years of local music being overshadowed by international pop, the Philippines led global local-song streaming growth in 2024. Streaming data shows that Filipino artists are finally commanding serious attention.1 One major development helping boost visibility is the launch of the Official Philippines Chart in early 2025, a music ranking system backed by the Philippine Recorded Music Rights Inc. and the IFPI, which tracks local hits across Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and Deezer.2
In terms of the sound of modern OPM, there’s no one dominant genre—the landscape is eclectic. P-pop (Pinoy pop) remains a powerhouse, with groups like BINI and SB19 continuing to drive mainstream success.3 BINI, in particular, has enjoyed massive streaming momentum, with their song “Pantropiko” becoming something of a breakthrough hit.SB19, meanwhile, continues to be a major force in dance-pop and P-pop arenas.4
On the indie and alternative side, Pinoy rock bands like SunKissed Lola are making waves: their single “Pasilyo” exploded on streaming platforms, becoming one of OPM’s biggest current tracks.5 Meanwhile, newer rock/indie groups such as Hey June! are also gaining attention — their song “Lasik” became a sleeper hit via TikTok and climbed the local viral charts. Grassroots and DIY OPM is healthy and growing, signaled by rising indie bands like Fly Mama!, Kahel, and 12th Street.6
Ostrock
| Origins: | 1960s–1980s East Germany (GDR) |
| Peak popularity: | 1965–1989? |
| Defining artists: | Karat, Puhdys, Silly, City |
| Must-hear album(s): | City, Am Fenster (1977) |
Behind the Iron Curtain, rock music was shaped by state censorship, but that didn’t stop East German bands from creating their own movement: Ostrock. Groups like Karat and Puhdys adapted Western rock sounds into German-language anthems that balanced creativity with political limitations. City’s “Am Fenster” became iconic, blending rock instrumentation with violin in a haunting, distinctly Eastern tone. Silly brought a sharper edge in the ’80s, reflecting growing disillusionment in the GDR. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, preceded the East Germany (German Democratic Republic) collapse, which fell with the reunification of Germany on October 3, 1990, which was .
Ostrock occupies a unique space: part protest, part adaptation, part cultural survival. After reunification, many Ostrock bands retained cult status, representing a specific historical moment when rock served as quiet resistance in East Germany.
Outlaw country
| Origins: | Early 1970s, U.S. (Texas & Nashville) country and rock n’ roll |
| Peak popularity: | 1972–1980 |
| Defining artists: | Hank Williams Jr., Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, David Allan Coe |
| Must-hear album(s): | Willie Nelson, Red Headed Stranger (1975); Wanted! The Outlaws compilation (1976); and/or David Allan Coe, Longhaired Redneck (1976) |
Fed up with slick production and rigid expectations of Nashville’s country music industry machine, a group of songwriters carved out their own space in Texas honky-tonks and dusty studios. Outlaw country emerged in the early 1970s as a reaction against the slick “Nashville Sound” that dominated the mainstream country charts at the time.
The genre doesn’t signify a specific musical structure, and it’s not a rock genre itself. It’s a distinct country style that incorporates elements of rock, folk, blues, and rockabilly, emphasizing artistic freedom, authenticity, and a rebellious attitude.
Culture and Image
The “outlaw” movement was a cultural stance and a demand for creative control by the artists over their own music, including song selection, production style, and album art. Artists rejected the clean-cut image and lush string orchestrations of Nashville’s Music Row, opting instead for a grittier, stripped-down sound. The movement centered in creative hubs like Austin and Lubbock, Texas.
Outlaw artists cultivated a rugged, anti-establishment image, often growing long hair and beards and replacing rhinestone suits with leather jackets and denim, which resonated with counterculture audiences. David Allan Coe lays it out with crystal clarity on “Longhaired Redneck”:
Country deejays knows that I’m an outlaw
They’d never come to see me in this dive
Where bikers stare at cowboys who are laughing at the hippies
Who are praying they’ll get outta here aliveThe loud mouth in the corner’s gettin’ to me
Talking ’bout my earrings and my hair
I guess he ain’t read the signs that say I been to prison
Someone ought to warn him ‘fore I knock him off his chair‘Cause my long hair just can’t cover up my red neck
I’ve won every fight, I’ve ever fought
Hey, I don’t need some turkey telling me that I ain’t country
And sayin’ I ain’t worth the damned ol’ ticket that he bought‘Cause I can sing all them songs about Texas
And I still do all the sad ones that I know
They tell me, I look like Merle Haggard
And sound a lot like David Allen Coe
The sound blends traditional honky-tonk, blues, and folk with the rhythmic drive and electric instrumentation of rock n’ roll and Southern rock. Lyrics are often introspective, world-weary, and honest, exploring themes considered taboo by the mainstream, such as life on the road, heartbreak, imprisonment, and substance abuse.
The movement’s commercial peak in the mid-to-late 1970s was solidified by the success of the first country album to becertified platinum: the 1976 compilation album Wanted! The Outlaws; . Although the movement as a fad waned by the early 1980s, its legacy of artistic integrity continues to influence modern country and Americana artists.
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